JP2019003039A - refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a refrigerator capable of improving the accuracy of voice recognition without causing a significant increase in cost and power consumption. SOLUTION: A refrigerator 1 of an embodiment is connected to a compressor 11, a storage unit 13 for storing data showing characteristics of noise noise and vibration noise generated from the compressor 11, a microphone 9, and a microphone 9. It has an analog-digital converter (ADC17a) and a signal processing unit (DSP17b), and noise and vibration generated from the compressor 11 using the data stored in the storage unit 13 for the audio data input to the microphone 19. A voice recognition unit 17 is provided, which performs a process of removing noise noise and vibration noise contained in the input voice by adding noise in opposite phases. [Selection diagram] Fig. 2

Description

  Embodiments of the present invention relate to a refrigerator.

  Some refrigerators have a voice recognition function that recognizes a voice generated by a user and enables opening / closing operation of a door, name registration of food to be stored, and the like. Such voice recognition functions generally include signal processing such as a microphone that inputs voice, an analog-to-digital converter that converts the input voice into a dental signal, and a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) that performs digital signal processing. This is realized by providing a part. In order to improve speech recognition accuracy, a so-called noise canceller function that removes noise other than speech may be provided (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-253991

There is a possibility that various noises may be input to the microphone in addition to the voice spoken by the user.
However, when trying to remove various noises other than speech, it is necessary to first identify speech and noise and perform signal processing for each of the identified various noises. In order to make this possible, the cost and power consumption of the signal processing unit have been increased.

  Thus, a refrigerator capable of improving the accuracy of voice recognition without causing a significant increase in cost and power consumption is provided.

  The refrigerator of the embodiment includes a compressor, a storage unit that stores data indicating characteristics of noise noise and vibration noise generated from the compressor, a microphone, and an analog-digital converter and a signal processing unit that are connected to the microphone. Input to the voice data input to the microphone by adding noise noise and vibration noise generated from the compressor in reverse phase using the data stored in the storage unit. A speech recognition unit that performs processing for removing noise noise and vibration noise included in

The figure which shows the refrigerator of embodiment typically The figure which shows the electric constitution of the refrigerator typically The figure which shows typically the aspect from which a speech recognition part removes noise. The figure which shows the composition of the microphone typically

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.
As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator 1 includes a main body 2 in which a plurality of storage chambers whose front surfaces are open are arranged in the vertical direction. In the case of the refrigerator 1 of the present embodiment, in the main body 2, the refrigeration room 3, the vegetable room 4, the ice making room 5 and the small freezer room 6 arranged in the left-right direction below the vegetable room 4 in order from the top, And the large freezer compartment 7 arrange | positioned below them is provided.

  The refrigeration room 3 and the vegetable room 4 are both storage rooms in a refrigeration temperature zone, and the front opening of the refrigeration room 3 is opened and closed by hinged left and right hinged doors 3a and 3b arranged side by side. The front opening of the vegetable compartment 4 is opened and closed by a drawer type door 4a. The ice making room 5, the small freezing room 6 and the large freezing room 7 are all storage rooms in the freezing temperature zone, and the opening at the front of the ice making room 5 is opened and closed by a drawer-type door 5a. The opening is opened and closed by a drawer type door 6a, and the opening on the front surface of the large freezer compartment 7 is opened and closed by a drawer type door 7a.

  The left door 3 a is provided with an operation panel 8 that can input the setting of the operation mode of the refrigerator 1 and confirm the operation state of the refrigerator 1. The operation panel 8 includes, for example, an electrostatic switch and a display device such as an LED, and accepts a user's operation and visually notifies the user of the operating state of the refrigerator 1 and the current setting.

  The operation panel 8 is provided with a microphone 9. The microphone 9 is used to input voice spoken by the user, and is connected to the voice recognition unit 17 (see FIG. 2) as will be described later. That is, the refrigerator 1 has an instruction input by voice, that is, a voice recognition function. The microphone 9 is provided on the operation panel 8 in the present embodiment, but may be provided at another position when the front surface of the door is covered with, for example, a glass decorative plate.

  A control unit 10 is provided in the refrigerator 1. The control unit 10 is composed of a microcomputer (not shown), and by operating a computer program stored in the storage unit 13 shown in FIG. The entire refrigerator 1 including the opening of the door by the device 12 is controlled. Although details will be described later, the storage unit 13 stores data indicating characteristics of noise noise and vibration noise generated from the compressor 11 in association with the rotation frequency of the compressor 11.

  The control unit 10 is connected to an operation panel 8, a compressor 11, a door opening device 12, a storage unit 13, a door opening switch 14 for operating the door opening device 12, a temperature sensor 15 for detecting the temperature of the storage room, and the like. The control unit 10 has a built-in timer 10a that can acquire the current time. In addition, the structure of the refrigerator 1 shown in FIG. 2 is an example, and is not limited to this.

  And the control part 10 cools each storage chamber by controlling the driving | operation of the compressor 11, ie, the driving | operation of a refrigerating cycle, based on the temperature etc. of the storage chamber detected with the temperature sensor 15, for example. In this embodiment, the compressor 11 employs a so-called inverter type that can change the rotation frequency. However, the compressor 11 can also employ a compressor whose rotation frequency is fixed.

  The control unit 10 is connected to the voice recognition unit 17. As shown in FIG. 3, the voice recognition unit 17 is an analog-digital converter (hereinafter referred to as ADC 17a) that converts an analog signal into a digital signal, and a signal processing unit (hereinafter referred to as DSP 17b) that processes the digital signal. have. The voice recognition unit 17 implements a noise canceller function that removes noise from the voice input from the microphone 9.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.
As described above, various noises may be input to the microphone 9 in addition to the voice spoken by the user. At this time, in order to remove all noises other than the voice, it is necessary to identify the noise from the inputted voice and perform signal processing for each of the identified various noises. Hereinafter, the method of dynamically removing noise according to the input voice is referred to as a conventional method for convenience, but such a conventional method requires high-speed and complicated signal processing. The cost of a processing part and the increase in power consumption were invited.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, as described below, the accuracy of speech recognition is improved without causing a significant increase in cost and power consumption.
In the refrigerator 1, the main source of noise noise and vibration noise is considered to be the compressor 11. Therefore, the noise noise and vibration noise data generated from the compressor 11 is stored in the storage unit 13 of the refrigerator 1 as described above. Here, noise noise means noise that propagates in the air and is input to the microphone 9, and vibration noise means noise that propagates through the structure of the refrigerator 1 and is input to the microphone 9.

  As shown in FIG. 4, for example, the microphone 9 includes a main body 9 a and a vibrating piece 9 b such as a diaphragm that receives vibration. The main body 9 a is fixed to the refrigerator 1. However, vibration from the structure of the refrigerator 1, for example, the operation panel 8, is transmitted to the vibrating piece 9b, which may be mixed into the sound as noise. Therefore, the refrigerator 1 stores not only noise noise but also vibration noise data in the storage unit 13. This data can be stored in advance by performing a test when the refrigerator 1 is manufactured or shipped.

And the refrigerator 1 implement | achieves the noise canceller function using this data. That is, the refrigerator 1 does not dynamically remove noise from the voice input to the microphone 9 as in the conventional method, but presupposes a noise generation source and stores assumed noise data in advance. In other words, a method of statically removing noise from the voice input to the microphone 9 is employed. In other words, the refrigerator 1 is based on the technical idea of improving the accuracy of speech recognition by preventing itself from becoming a noise source.
Thus, by limiting the generation source of noise noise and vibration noise, the refrigerator 1 can reduce the load of signal processing in the DSP 17b.

  Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 3, it is assumed that a sound in which noise noise and vibration noise are superimposed from the compressor 11 is input to the microphone 9. Hereinafter, as shown as a waveform D <b> 1 in FIG. 3, the sound on which the noise input to the microphone 9 is superimposed will be referred to as input data.

  The input data is converted into a digital signal by the ADC 17a. The input data converted into the digital signal is subjected to speech recognition processing in the DSP 17b as is well known. Then, the DSP 17b uses the data stored in the storage unit 13 to add noise noise and vibration noise to the input data by digital signal processing so as to have an opposite phase.

  That is, the DSP 17b uses the data stored in the storage unit 13 to perform processing for canceling noise included in the input data. At this time, the DSP 17b appropriately selects data to be used according to the current rotation frequency of the compressor 11. In FIG. 3, an example of noise noise and vibration noise is schematically shown as a waveform D2.

  As a result, the noise noise and vibration noise included in the input data are removed or canceled, and an output from which the noise noise and vibration noise from the compressor 11 are removed is obtained as illustrated as a waveform D3 in FIG. Although detailed description is omitted, when canceling noise, processing such as phase matching with noise in input data is performed.

Then, in the DSP 17b or the control unit 10, voice recognition, that is, specification of contents instructed by voice is performed.
In this way, the refrigerator 1 realizes a noise canceller function that presupposes noise that is the source of the noise and stores data indicating characteristics of the noise in advance and removes noise from the input voice. ing.

According to the embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained.
The refrigerator 1 includes a compressor 11, a microphone 9, a voice recognition unit 17 having an ADC 17 a and a DSP 17 b, a storage unit 13 that stores data indicating characteristics of noise noise and vibration noise generated from the compressor 11, and an input to the microphone 9. A voice recognition unit 17 for removing noise noise and vibration noise contained in the voice by adding noise noise and vibration noise in opposite phases to the voice data that has been stored using the data stored in the storage unit 13; It has.

  As a result, it becomes unnecessary to deal with various noises input to the microphone 9 and noise estimation, and a noise canceller function with excellent responsiveness can be realized with a cheaper DSP 17b. In addition, since the processing load can be reduced as compared with the conventional method, the power consumption can be reduced.

  Therefore, the accuracy of voice recognition can be improved without causing a significant increase in cost and power consumption. Furthermore, since noise noise and vibration noise when the refrigerator 1 is actually operating can be removed, appropriate noise removal can be performed regardless of individual differences.

  The storage unit 13 of the refrigerator 1 stores noise noise and vibration noise data generated from the compressor 11 for each rotation frequency of the compressor 11. The refrigerator 1 removes noise from the sound by adding noise noise and vibration noise corresponding to the rotation frequency of the compressor 11 in opposite phases.

  When the rotation frequency can be changed according to the required cooling performance as in the compressor 11 of the embodiment, it is considered that when the rotation frequency of the compressor 11 is changed, the noise noise and vibration noise generated in accordance with the change are also changed. However, the noise can be appropriately removed from the sound by adding the noise noise and the vibration noise corresponding to the rotation frequency in opposite phases.

  By the way, the data indicating the characteristics of noise noise and vibration noise can be stored at the time of manufacturing or shipping as described above. However, in reality, in an environment where the refrigerator 1 is actually installed, there may be a wall near the refrigerator 1 or an object attached to the refrigerator 1 itself by a magnet or the like. In other words, the installation environment at the time of manufacture and the installation environment at the time of use may be different. And if the installation environment is different, there is a possibility that generated noise noise and vibration noise will change.

  Therefore, the refrigerator 1 may be configured to acquire noise noise and vibration noise input to the microphone 9 when a predetermined update period has elapsed, and to update data stored in the storage unit 13. it can. In this case, the update period can be set, for example, several hours after the power is turned on. Thereby, data indicating the characteristics of noise noise and vibration noise according to the actual installation environment can be stored, and noise can be more accurately removed.

  At this time, after the power is turned on, it is assumed that the operation of the compressor 11 is more active than in the normal state, that is, the state in which the interior is cooled to some extent in order to cool the interior, but an update period is provided. Thus, data indicating the characteristics of noise noise and vibration noise in a normal state can be stored, noise can be removed more appropriately, and the accuracy of voice recognition can be improved. This is common not only to the inverter-type compressor 11 but also to the non-inverter type.

  Alternatively, the refrigerator 1 may be configured to acquire noise noise and vibration noise input to the microphone 9 at a predetermined update time and update the data stored in the storage unit 13. it can. In this case, the update time is a time zone where external noise is assumed to be relatively low, in other words, a time zone such as nighttime when noise noise and vibration noise generated from the compressor 11 are assumed to be acquired more accurately. Can be set.

  Thereby, it becomes possible to specify the noise to be removed more accurately, and the accuracy of speech recognition can be improved. This is common not only to the inverter-type compressor 11 but also to the non-inverter type.

  Moreover, the refrigerator 1 can be set as the structure which changes the rotation frequency of the compressor 11 and updates data for every rotation frequency, when updating the data memorize | stored in the memory | storage part 13. FIG. Thereby, characteristics of noise noise and vibration noise generated from the inverter type compressor 11 can be acquired in more detail, and noise to be removed can be specified more accurately.

  In the embodiment, the timing at which voice recognition is started is not limited. However, by adopting the above-described configuration, in the configuration in which voice recognition is constantly performed, significant power saving can be realized, and voice from the operation panel 8 can be realized. Even in the configuration in which the activation of recognition is instructed, it is possible to contribute to power saving.

In the embodiment, the configuration in which the storage unit 13 is shared by the control unit 10 and the voice recognition unit 17 is illustrated, but the voice recognition unit 17 may be provided with a dedicated storage unit.
In the embodiment, the voice recognition unit 17 including the DSP 17b is illustrated, but the control unit 10 may be a signal processing unit, and the control unit 10 may perform a process of removing noise. Further, the ADC 17a may be configured to be built in the DSP 17b or the control unit 10.

  In the embodiment, the compressor 11 is exemplified as a generation source of noise noise and vibration noise, but other functional units that can be generation sources of noise noise and vibration noise can be targeted. That is, data indicating the characteristics of the generated noise is stored in advance for the functional unit that is the source of noise or vibration among the functional units provided in the refrigerator 1, and the operating state of the functional unit when voice is input is stored. Accordingly, by determining whether or not to remove noise, the accuracy of voice recognition can be improved without causing a significant increase in cost and power consumption, as in the above-described embodiment.

  Each embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. This aspect and its modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

  In the drawings, 1 is a refrigerator, 9 is a microphone, 10 is a control unit (voice recognition unit), 11 is a compressor, 13 is a storage unit, 17 is a voice recognition unit, 17a is an ADC (analog-digital converter), and 17b is a DSP (DSP). Signal processing unit).

Claims (5)

A compressor,
A storage unit for storing data indicating characteristics of noise noise and vibration noise generated from the compressor;
With a microphone,
Noise noise and vibration generated from the compressor using the data stored in the storage unit as voice data input to the microphone, connected to the microphone, having an analog-digital converter and a signal processing unit A speech recognition unit that performs processing to remove noise noise and vibration noise included in the input speech by adding noise in opposite phase;
Is provided. The compressor can change the rotation frequency according to the required cooling performance,
In the storage unit, noise noise and vibration noise data generated from the compressor are stored for each rotation frequency of the compressor,
The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the voice recognition unit adds noise noise and vibration noise corresponding to a rotation frequency of the compressor in opposite phases.   The voice recognition unit acquires noise noise and vibration noise input to the microphone when a predetermined update period has elapsed, and updates data stored in the storage unit. The refrigerator according to claim 1 or 2.   The voice recognition unit acquires noise noise and vibration noise input to the microphone at a predetermined update time, and updates data stored in the storage unit. The refrigerator according to any one of claims 1 to 3.   5. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the voice recognition unit changes the rotation frequency of the compressor and updates the data for each rotation frequency when updating the data stored in the storage unit. .

Images